FAI Cup Preview: Derry City -v- St Patrick's Athletic

Derry City

Derry City host St Patrick's Athletic at the Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium on Sunday evening (kick-off is at 6.00pm). 

The Saints knocked their hosts out of the competition on penalties last season, while City have won both league games between the sides in 2024.

The Candystripes come into this weekend’s game on the back of a disappointing defeat at the same venue on Thursday evening when they crashed out of Europe at the hands of Bruno’s Magpies of Gibraltar. Having lost 2-0 in the Rock last week, the Creggan outfit overcame the dismissal of Adam O’Reilly to claw back the deficit and take the tie to extratime.

However, a late strike from De Haro saw the visitors regain the lead and City’s focus now shifts from the Conference League to the FAI Cup where they host the holders St Patrick’s Athletic- now under the guidance of former Derry City manager Stephen Kenny.

With Ruaidhrí Higgins’ men enduring 120 minutes of football on Thursday and the visitors without a game since suffering defeat in Waterford’s RSC on the 4th of July, The Saints bring a fresher squad to the Bogside than their hosts.

Added to the possible fatigue, injuries are also taking a toll on the City squad with skipper Patrick McEleney not featuring since June- having racked up less than 300 league minutes this season- and ex UCD teammates  Sam Todd and Colm Whelan slowly making their way to match fitness after injury. Midfielder Ciaran Harkin has played just 19 league minutes in 2024 and Jordan McEneff, the side’s top scorer last season,  hasn’t featured since April.

Head coach Higgins, in a post match press interview after the defeat to Magpies, referenced the potential impact of the additional period of extra time,

“Of course there’s no getting away from it. The opposition on Sunday will be obviously using that and they will be smelling blood

“They’ll be coming here to have a go at it I imagine but I think we’ve shown the capacity over the years to recover well between matches.

“It’s a cup competition, you don’t get two bites at the cherry, you only get one, and we have to work extremely hard over the weekend in preparing the team and recovering properly and getting ready to go because we know we’re capable of going through if we replicate a lot of what we’ve done against Magpies.”

St Patrick's Athletic

Cup holders St Patrick's Athletic will be hoping that they can reach the third-round of the FAI Cup when they head to Derry on Sunday afternoon.

Boss Stephen Kenny will be returning to a familiar setting as he experienced plenty of success while in charge of the Foyleside outfit, lifting the First Division title, multiple League Cup titles and bringing special European nights to the Creggan.

However, on Sunday he will be plotting their downfall as he sets a course on cup success with The Saints’ lowly league position meaning that a title push is well beyond the Richmond Park outfit at the moment. 

Having taken over the stewardship of the Inchicore outfit during the early part of the season, Kenny has wasted no time in shaping the squad as he wishes. On loan Liverpool keeper Marcelo Pitaluga has returned to Anfield while Joseph Anang is back between the sticks after a successful spell in 2022 with the club. Scottish defender Kieron Freeman has signed for Raith while Al-Amin Kazeem has signed from Colchester United after spending the first half of the season with Galway United.

Former Republic of Ireland Under 21 winger Zach Elbouzedi has arrived from AIK in Sweden while Alfie Taylor’s loan ended and he returned to Hull City.

Speaking to his club media, Kenny was looking forward to Sunday’s encounter,

"It's one of the toughest draws you could probably get. Derry are right up there challenging Shelbourne and Shamrock Rovers for the league title.They have an exceptional squad and it'll be a tough game but one that we're making sure we're prepared for."

"I thought a lot of the aspects of our performances in recent weeks have been good. It's a busy week for us and we're just focused on the Derry game first to make sure that we're ready."

Referee: Robert Harvey

PREDICTION 

Derry City 2-1 St Patrick's Athletic 

Derry City

Injured: Patrick McEleney 

Doubtful: N/A. 

Suspended: None. 

St Patrick's Athletic

Unavailable: Ryan McLaughlin, Arran Pettifer

Doubtful: N/A. 

Suspended: None.